The fine Airborne Order of Saint John Serving Brother, Second World War North Africa, Italy and France, Palestine Jewish Revolt and Efficiency Medal with Second Award bar group to Staff Serjeant E. Rouse, 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps who saw Second World War Service in North Africa and in Italy at the amphibious landings near Taranto on 9th September 1943 and in the fighting near Monte Cassino in the spring of 1944 before he would participate in the landings in the South of France in August 1944. He would later serve in Greece after the withdrawal of the German Army and during the Greek Civil War before serving in Palestine during the Jewish Revolt. He would receive a Second Award Bar to his Efficiency Medal on 22nd August 1973.
Group of 10: The Most Venerable Order of Saint John, Serving Brother, 4th type (1948-1973) in silver and enamels; 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal; General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVIR 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine 1945-48; (1589799 S/SJT. E. ROUSE. R.A.M.C.) Efficiency Medal, EIIR Dei.Grat bust, Territorial Suspension with Second Award bar; (21017295 S/SGT. E. ROUSE. R.A.M.C.) Service Medal of the Order of Saint John, cupro nickel issue with straight bar suspension, unnamed as issued. Loose-mounted for wear.
Condition: minor enamel chipping to the Order of Saint John, loose-mounted for wear, Good Very Fine
Edward Rouse initially served as a Gunner (No. 1589799) with the 273rd Battery, Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery being promoted to Acting Lance Bombardier on 24th December 1940 before transferring to the Royal Army Medical Corps on 23rd January 1941.
Rouse would go on to see service with the 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, which was the second R.A.M.C. parachute unit raised, it would be assigned to the 2nd Parachute Brigade in the 1st Airborne Division.
The 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance would not take part in the invasion of Sicily due to a lack of transport, but would participate in the amphibious landings near Taranto on 9th September 1943. It would go on to fight in Italy through in to the summer of 1944 in actions around the Sangro River and close to Monte Cassino.
Next up would be an airborne landing in the south of France to support the amphibious landings on 15th August 1944, Rouse’s units surgical team would perform 42 operations between 15th – 18th August 1944. After a short stay in France including taking part in the liberation of Cannes on 25th August, the unit would set sail for Italy on 27th August arriving in Naples on 28th August 1944.
2nd Parachute Brigade of which 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was now a part, would land near Athens between 12th and 14th October 1944 to help ensure law and order in the vacuum created by the retreating German army. On 18th October, 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance would travel into Athens and would take over the Evangelismos Hospital. The unit would then perform surgery on the casualties in the Greek Civil War between October and 23rd January 1945.
By February 1945 the unit would travel to Italy from Greece and a number of plans were put in place for airborne drops during the closing months of the war, but all of these were cancelled and the Field Ambulance would return to England before later travelling to Palestine where it was deployed to Gaza before in July 1946 it would deployed to Tel Aviv when the situation deteriorated.
Rouse would receive a clasp to his Efficiency Medal whilst serving as Staff Sergeant (No. 21017295) with the Royal Army Medical Corps on 22nd August 1973.
